Services: Volunteer Center: Volunteer Spotlight

Volunteer of the Month for July 2003

This month’s spotlight is on the many volunteers of Habitat for Humanity. In existence in Alpena for 13 years, Habitat will have built 26 houses in Alpena by the end of summer 2003 and has 3 scheduled for next year’s “Women Build 2004.”

Habitat volunteers range in age
 from 5 to 105, come from all
 backgrounds and perform
 various services, the obvious
 being home construction. No
 skills are required for most volunteers, just a desire to learn. Some of the jobs requiring special skills and licensing include electrical wiring, plumbing, and masonry, and these special volunteers are greatly appreciated. Other positions available include office staff with computer skills, people interested in fundraising assistance, cookie bakers and committee chairs.

Volunteers for Habitat include retirees, teachers with summers off, anyone with a few hours available between 9am and 5pm Monday through Saturday. Individuals as well as business, church and civic groups give an hour or more once a week or once a year. Children under 16, while not allowed on the work site during construction, have assisted with landscaping and put together baskets of paper goods as a welcome gift for the families. Other needs include childcare during meetings, hospitality for out-of-town groups, and lunch preparation.

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing effort dedicated to making decent housing a matter of conscience and action. Three homes are currently under construction in Alpena.

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